Since a very young age, some form of art
and creativity has been a part of my life.

My high school art classes at Korah Collegiate
inspired me to continue on with my art. I took the visual arts
program at Sault College of Applied Arts and Technology (many
years ago now). I majored in fibre and commercial art.

Over the years I have also taken other summer
courses at the Sir Sanford Fleming School of the Arts. Some of
these courses include metal sculpture, wire sculpture, photography,
silver jewellery casting and Japanese brush painting.

For many years I had been an illustrative
painter, but was looking for a new medium in which I could test
and challenge myself in new ways. I had always admired the warmth
and earthy beauty of copper. I also enjoyed working in steel,
but found it required a lot of equipment. Copper provided the
metal element and only required minimal tools.

Fifteen years ago I began working with copper.
My early experimentations with the metal have grown into a passion.
I am primarily self taught in my copper work, and experience
has taught me just how far I can stretch and shape the metal.
Nature was always my main source of inspiration when I painted,
so it was an easy translation into copper. I especially enjoy
birds, flowers, insects, and animals.

I work in various weights of copper sheet
and wire to create hammered vessels, leaves and jewellery. I
also do fine tooled works in light weight copper, which I frame
or use freeform as wall art. I am always trying to learn new
methods and techniques.

On occasion I still paint, but my time is
primarily spent working in copper. I am very pleased to have
had my work (especially my copper maple leaves) sent too many
parts of the world.